BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
ISPO show organiser Messe Mùˆnchen has announced the end of Munich’s ISPO BIKE show.
The company is instead concentrating on supporting the bike industry with ‘ISPO Services’ and in the f.r.e.e travel and leisure exhibition.
Klaus Dittrich, chairman of the management of Messe Mùˆnchen, said: “In the future, we will concentrate our involvement in the bicycle sector on the travel and leisure exhibition f.re.e, and continue to expand the already existing area for bicycles with a clear focus on consumers in terms of content as well as concept.
“We decided not to continue with ISPO BIKE. We are, however, extremely grateful for the trust afforded us and the positive feedback by our customers and partners ZEG and Extra Energy."
ISPO added in a statement: "The international sports business network ISPO will continue to offer the bike industry’s manufacturers and retailers its innovative and year-round services to assist them with successful positioning in the international competition even outside of the regular trade show schedule. The portfolio includes services that particularly help increase customer profitability and strengthen personal contacts and relationships. Among these services are ISPO AWARD, ISPO BRANDNEW, ISPO ACADEMY, the interactive ISPO COMMUNITY and ISPO JOBS.
"Messe Mùˆnchen’s ISPO Team welcomes any future dialogue, should the majority of the industry wish to collectively pursue a change to an international venue."
In addition, the company’s ISPO MUNICH, running January 26th – 29th 2014, has included aspects of the cycle industry and other action sports including clothing, accessories, etc and is pitched as a multisports showcase.
In other bike show news, the Czech Republic-based Bike Brno has cancelled this year’s show, originally planned for November 7th to 10th. The simultaneously held SPORT Life fair will instead expand its cycle programme, with the BMX&MTB Freestyle Show and Bike Conference.
It’s not necessarily the end for the show, according to the organisers, who cited changes in the ordering system for new bikes, market oversupply and new distribution channels leading ‘companies to fragmentation of their opinions regarding the date of the fair, the nature of the event and their own presentation’.
JiÅ™Ă KuliÅ¡, CEO of BVV Trade Fairs Brno, said: "We do not intend to slide down to the level of a mere sales exhibition attended by local retailers, as is the case of certain events on the theme of cycling. A trade fair should demonstrate future trends in the sector, which is a task that a sales exhibition can hardly fulfil."
Co-organiser and founder of the event Karel StĂ¡rek added: "Cycling is a mass sport, very popular in the Czech Republic. All the more so we regret that despite numerous negotiations with key bicycle companies, we cannot offer cycling fans a comprehensive exhibition of the best brands and innovations in this sector. The difficult economic situation results in people cutting their spending, which consequently led to a decline in sales of bicycles in the countries of the entire EU."
Kuliš added: "We have not given up the Bike Brno fair. I am confident that the bicycle market will recover and in the future, we will be able to continue to promote Bike Brno at a level that everyone has been accustomed to so far."
